Head of Design

Head of Design Sydney based, hybrid Pollen is looking for a Head of Design to lead our product and experience practice and help shape the next chapter of our studio. Pollen is not your usual agency. We are an independent product and experience studio that designs AI enabled digital experiences for cultural institutions, government, health, sustainability and commercial organisations. We partner with teams who want to make meaningful change through thoughtful design and clever technology. We are now ready to bring on a senior design leader who has already held a similar leadership role in a digital agency or consulting environment. This experience is essential. We need someone who can step in and guide the team, our clients, and the work from Day 1. The Opportunity As our Head of Design, you will lead the full design function, covering UX, UI, product design, content design and research. You will shape the design vision for the studio, guide a growing team of designers, and work closely with our Strategy and Engineering leads to evolve Pollens offering. This is a role for someone who enjoys both leading and doing. Someone who can set direction, mentor designers, steer complex programs of work and still get hands on in early discovery, framing and concept development when the team needs it. You will be working across a wide mix of clients and sectors. Marketplace products, cultural sector experiences, government platforms, purpose led programs, health and wellbeing tools and more. No two weeks look the same here and we like it that way. What you will lead The design discipline at Pollen, across craft, culture, quality and ways of working A senior team of UX and UI designers Client relationships as the senior point of trust on all design related matters Multi project accounts, shaping design direction and supporting delivery teams The evolution of Pollens AI enabled design practices and capabilities What you will shape The future of design at Pollen, including our offering, frameworks and processes How AI is woven into research, design and product development Pitches, proposals and early shaping of scopes Hiring, development and the ongoing growth of the design team What you will do hands on Around 40 percent of your time will be applied directly to project work. This usually includes early discovery and framing, facilitation, insight synthesis, concept direction and sometimes rolling up your sleeves to support deeper product design. You will choose where your skills add the most value. What you bring To be successful, you will need: Experience leading design inside a digital agency or consulting studio A proven track record guiding multidisciplinary product and experience teams Confidence shaping complex programs of work from insight to direction to delivery Strong facilitation skills and the ability to create clarity in messy problem spaces Credibility with senior stakeholders and an ability to communicate clearly Experience with AI informed design or AI enabled product experiences Demonstrated ability to mentor and grow design teams Ease moving between strategic leadership and hands on design contribution Working at Pollen Sydney based, hybrid role A supportive senior team with strong engineering, strategy and research partners A studio culture that values curiosity, rigour, inclusivity and meaningful outcomes #J-18808-Ljbffr

Created: 2025-12-11